Dreading the cold - January 9, 2024

Last night after dinner, from the kitchen I heard The Husband say, "Oh, my god!"

"What?"

"It's supposed to go down to TWO DEGREES next week."

"Nuh-uhhhhh!"

"Yep.  Day-time high of FIFTEEN."

Oh, no.  Temperatures that low will keep me in the house for days.

This morning's weather report seemed somewhat better.  There's a chance we could escape the bitter cold.  I reckon all I can do about it is cover up my good rose bush and hunker down.

I need a plan.

And probably some supplies.

At noon today, I''m having lunch with my old boss.  At 3:00, I'm scheduled for a mammogram.  Lots of time to kill between appointments, There's a get-it-all store and a mega-hardware store in the same parking lot as the restaurant.  

I think I'll go the hardware store to look for seeds and dirt.  I still haven't done anything permanent with the cold frame in the back yard.  While I'm not sure it's supposed to be used this way, I might fill it halfway up with dirt and use it as an incubator for some early garden plants, like cabbage and broccoli.  Might wait to do that until the cold spell passes, huh?  But at least I can have the seeds and dirt on hand for when the mood strikes.  

Fertilizer, I need fertilizer, too.  Last fall's soil test urged treating the garden with high-nitrogen fertilizer before or at planting.  Might have to tack on a trip to the farm store after the boob-smash.